This Blog will be my synopsis of regular activity and updates on the plug share website for Electric Vehicle Charging Station. I will regularly list the current total number of stations, number of stations added, and if possible - the number of check-in's or uses of public stations.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Plugshare lists a total of 16,500 StationsThey use dynamic tracking to add new - and remove redundant, or test stations, but for those that are dropped, or removed, it is done manually, so simply adding in the new additions - does not equal the total numbers, and sometimes - new additions are listed - but need to have their duplicate entries purged. My count is 16,419 Stations. I have not listed all duplicate stations and they may not have purged them yet. I may have counted 1 as a count for one listing - but it might represent multiple chargers, hence some of the differences.

Over the last 24 hours - there have been 42 New Public Chargers, and 2 new Restricted Chargers added to the PlugShare network, plus 69 New Photos, and 7 New home stations being shared.

Say what you will about the high costs and short ranges of electric vehicles , a good many people who've had the privilege of driving or owning one are awestruck in love with them.

We caught up with members of the unofficial EV admiration society at a recent North Texas Plug In Day celebration. The event, one of dozens around the country, showcased commercially available EV's like the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf, as well as cars still tiptoeing into production, such as the elegant Karma by Fisker, the popular Prius Plug-In Hybrid (available in selected states) and the petite Mitsubishi iMiEV.

In this article, Linked - the following 4 myths are covered

(Myth 1: EV's are pokey, Myth 2: EV's are too expensive,

Myth 3: EV's cannot go the distance, Myth 4: EV's are not the way of the future.)

Families, singles, young hipsters — potential and aspiring buyers — stroked leather interiors, snapped pictures and praised the handsome lines and finishes of their pet vehicles. Charging network reps from Blink and eVgo reviewed the differences between standard Level Two and Direct Current Fast Charging. A salesman from Toyota of Plano explained how regenerative breaking can recharge a battery while the car’s in use, and several EV owners shared their experiences, including one fellow who sneaked up in his Tesla Roadster and starting giving people ...(MORE)

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Plugshare lists a total of 16,464 StationsThey use dynamic tracking to add new - and remove redundant, or test stations, but for those that are dropped, or removed, it is done manually, so simply adding in the new additions - does not equal the total numbers, and sometimes - new additions are listed - but need to have their duplicate entries purged. My count is 16,368 Stations. I have not listed all duplicate stations and they may not have purged them yet. I may have counted 1 as a count for one listing - but it might represent multiple chargers, hence some of the differences.

Over the last 24 hours - there have been 21 New Public Chargers, and 4 new Restricted Chargers added to the PlugShare network, plus 76 New Photos, and 9 New home stations being shared.

The additions tracked are:

New Public Chargers Added = 21

New Restricted Stations added = 4

New Photos Added = 76

New Home Stations Shared = 9

113People Checked into Public EV Chargers today. More Chargers added, More public uses - more today than yesterday!

How Ontario is putting an end to coal-burning power plants.By most measures of environmental policy and progress, Ontario, Canada, ranks well. Over the last half-century, Canada’s most populous province required cities and industries to treat every gallon of wastewater, dramatically reduced the level of sulfur and other pollutants that caused acid rain, and convinced the big and politically powerful pulp and paper industry to install state-of-the-art emissions control equipment.Weaning economies off of coal, as Ontario learned, is no small feat. In 2003, Ontario generated 7,500 megawatts of coal-fired electricity, a quarter of its power supply. Ontario’s coal consumption peaked that year at 18.6 million metric tons. Coal-fired power plants were Ontario’s largest source of toxic chemical, heavy metal, sulfur, and nitrogen air pollution. Carbon emissions from coal-fired generation had risen to more than 41 million metric tons annually. The program to end coal began that same year with an exceptional debate about energy that helped decide the election for provincial premier.Next year, though, Ontario is scheduled to complete a 21st century environmental cleanup project that distinguishes it among North American jurisdictions. After a decade of work by the Liberal Party government, Ontario at the end of this year is scheduled to close the last of its big coal-fired generators, and leave a single small coal-fired unit available during periods of peak electrical demand until it closes next year. In shutting down the province’s 19 boilers fueled by coal, Ontario will become the...(MORE)

German village offers a blueprint for green energy.Nations as diverse as North Korea and the United States have sent delegations to visit a tiny village in former East Germany to see how it has transformed the way it uses energy.A 60-minute drive south of Berlin, and home to about 125 people, Feldheim is Germany's first and only energy self-sufficient village and attracts both international energy experts and politicians.The country of more than 80 million aims to derive 80 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2050. It has bolstered wind and solar energy generation, and following Japan's Fukushima disaster in 2011 Germany announced that it will phase out nuclear power by 2022."We're seen as pioneers, and the world wants to know whether they can duplicate our success," says Joachim Gebauer, a former teacher who guides visitors through the remote hamlet. "No coal or gas is burned here, it's all...(MORE)

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Plugshare lists a total of 16,414 StationsThey use dynamic tracking to add new - and remove redundant, or test stations, but for those that are dropped, or removed, it is done manually, so simply adding in the new additions - does not equal the total numbers, and sometimes - new additions are listed - but need to have their duplicate entries purged. My count is 16,334 Stations. I have not listed all duplicate stations and they may not have purged them yet. I may have counted 1 as a count for one listing - but it might represent multiple chargers, hence some of the differences.

Over the last 24 hours - there have been 9 New Public Chargers added to the PlugShare network, plus 24 New Photos, and 3 New home stations being shared.

The additions tracked are:

New Public Chargers Added = 23

New Restricted Stations added = 0

New Photos Added = 28

New Home Stations Shared = 3

84People Checked into Public EV Chargers today. Few Chargers added, Few public uses - but a bit more today than yesterday!

The last item counted today - was 'New Public Station at 1000 San Mateo Ave, Sam Bruno, CA 94066'

News Bits:Elon Musk Confirms Smaller Tesla in $30,000 Range After Model X. If you’re thinking that you’d love to have a Tesla Model S, but it’s just too expensive, we have some good news. Elon Musk, one of the cofounders of Tesla Motors and the CEO of the company, said over Twitter that a smaller car is on the way in about three to four years that will cost in the neighborhood of $30,000 at today’s prices. He said that it will have a greater than 200-mile range.(MORE)Green Fleet Roundup: EV Chargers from ABB and Fuji, US Hybrid Market, Apps for Vehicles. ABB has launched its Terra SmartConnect 20kW DC fast charger with delivery in North and South America in the second quarter. Initial shipments will support the CHAdeMO fast-charging standard, with SAE / Combined Charging System units available later this year. The charger is designed for commercial and office areas. It will fully replenish an electric car in 120 minutes, and take the battery of currently available EVs from 30 percent to 80 percent in less than half an hour, the company said.Fuji Electric Corp. of America announced the beginning of production of its UL-Certified DC Quick Chargers for Electric Vehicles, with March seeing the first production units shipping out of Milpitas, Calif. The manufacturer’s fourth-generation 25kW DC fast charger is built to the CHAdeMO specification and allows EV owners to charge their vehicles in under...(MORE) (These are examples of the new - Low Power DC Quick Charge Units, More Affordable for Installation and operation.)

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Plugshare lists a total of 16,375 StationsThey use dynamic tracking to add new - and remove redundant, or test stations, but for those that are dropped, or removed, it is done manually, so simply adding in the new additions - does not equal the total numbers, and sometimes - new additions are listed - but need to have their duplicate entries purged. My count is 16,308 Stations. I have not listed all duplicate stations and they may not have purged them yet. I may have counted 1 as a count for one listing - but it might represent multiple chargers, hence some of the differences.

Over the last 24 hours - there have been 9 New Public Chargers added to the PlugShare network, plus 24 New Photos, and 3 New home stations being shared.

The additions tracked are:

New Public Chargers Added = 9

New Restricted Stations added = 0

New Photos Added = 24

New Home Stations Shared = 3

98People Checked into Public EV Chargers today. Few Chargers added, Few public uses - but a bit more today than yesterday!

The last item counted today - was 'New Photo of Sharp-Mary Birch Hospital, San Diego, CA'

Plugshare lists a total of 16,360 StationsThey use dynamic tracking to add new - and remove redundant, or test stations, but for those that are dropped, or removed, it is done manually, so simply adding in the new additions - does not equal the total numbers, and sometimes - new additions are listed - but need to have their duplicate entries purged. My count is 16,296 Stations. I have not listed all duplicate stations and they may not have purged them yet. I may have counted 1 as a count for one listing - but it might represent multiple chargers, hence some of the differences.

Over the last 24 hours - there have been 13 New Public Chargers added to the PlugShare network, and 1 Restricted Charger, plus 41 New Photos, and 4 New home stations being shared.

The additions tracked are:

New Public Chargers Added = 13

New Restricted Stations added = 1

New Photos Added = 41

New Home Stations Shared = 4

88People Checked into Public EV Chargers today. Few Chargers added, Fewer public uses - a bit quieter day - but still not so bad!

The last item counted today - was 'Michael Checked in at Rock City, Lookout Mountain, GA'

Special thanks to Adam, Wall Plug + 240V (Columbus, OH), Kevin, Tesla HPWC + NEMA 14 (Phoenix, AZ), Steve, Wall Plug (Kendallville, IN), and Airportguy, EV Plug (Waterloo, ON),for sharing their Home stations access with us today!Looks like California and Texas are in a Tie today with 4 new stations each (Unless we count the Restricted one - then CA Leads)!

It's been a slow couple months for the Nissan Leaf, with sales hovering around 650 for each of the first two months of the year. Throughout the slowdown (late last year, monthly sales totals were closer to 1,500), Nissan representatives kept saying there was no need to worry, that once production got rolling in Tennessee, sales would climb back up. But they never said we'd be looking at a such a high new record. Just last week, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn was saying...(More)

Tesla Motors issued two bits of news late last night to add to whatever we'll learn about on Tuesday. First off, sales of the Model S have "exceeded the target provided in the mid February shareholder letter" by 250 units. Second, sales of the low-end 40-kWh Model S were so low that the model has been scrapped.

In February, Tesla said in a shareholder letter that it expected "about 4,500 deliveries in

Q1" of 2013. It has instead sold 4,750 and it is thus "amending its Q1 guidance to full profitability, both GAAP and non-GAAP." The company is now delivering 500 vehicles a week, up from 400 not too long ago. We now have to wonder if the original...(More)

Monday, April 1, 2013

On Plug Share - it seems I keep discovering similar issues - as I go about tallying the days growth in my new blog - http://myplugshareblog.blogspot.ca/ - Duplicated 'New Stations', caused by anxious supporters of the movement - that just go off and add a 'New Station' that they 'Think they discovered' but is in fact - really just a replication of one already listed with Plugshare. Another issue is people don't quite know the best way to select their particular new addition - some add public stations - when they really want to add Residential Chargers - that they want to share with the public, and other list there stations as public - when in fact they are not intended for full public access - but are restricted in some way as to time, model or brand, or physically behind closed gates for numerous hours. Some Even List Personal Residential Chargers - as Restricted Chargers!

It seems to me there needs to be some better definition of what type of charger is listed as what type of listing, and there needs to be some form of communication this on the PlugShare Website - if not in general Q&A/Definitions page, then in a stop and verify process at the time of adding a station.

For Me - in the Sense that a Public Highway - does not Close, nor does a Public Street 'Close' when businesses do - then in the same fashion - a 'Public Charger' should in fact be required to mean - is open All the Time, at any time. And as a Public Road is Driven on by any type of Vehicle - I believe - a Public Electric Vehicle Charger - should - in fact - fit the same relevant criteria - and actually be there for the use by Any Electric Vehicle type. So - basically - to me - a 'Public Charging Station' is one that is open for Any Electric Vehicle, at Any Hour, and Only is closed due to Major Repairs, or Extreme Weather related issues (Just as Highways some times close for extreme weather only).

Further - I believe - what we otherwise call Public Stations - that have limited Hours, or restrict their access to any particular brand or brands, Should either be listed in fact as "Restricted Stations" or have a new category that suits them better - "Limited Access Public Stations" - meaning public - but not full access stations, with a sub category to select - Limited hours; Limited Access (Behind Gates after hours); Limited Brands - Like the Current Tesla Super Chargers, as much as CHAdeMO or SAE Combo Chargers are and will be, as not all vehicles can use them but they are restricted to a limited sub-set of all electric vehicles.

Next - Restricted Access - really should mean - Fleet Vehicles Only - as installed on Private Property, for company vehicles only, behind gates, with no intention of any shared public access, baring any normal access, but not limiting - on a case-by-case basis - the option of rendering assistance to a member of the public who would otherwise be stuck or stranded due to a local failed or inoperable Public Charger.

Personal Residential Stations - should be home stations - Only - unless a case could be made for this category at a Small Business - that is almost considered home by an Electric Vehicle Owner - because his normal home is in a apartment building - so his primary charging is at his business place, and he has installed his personal EV Charger there, for access.

Of course, for personal Charging - there is the venerable 'Wall Plug' for 120V Power, all the way up to the Tesla HPWC or High Powered Wall Charger, for the Model S. It is not likely to find an in-home CHAdeMO unit installed - even if we could get one at the mentioned $9,999.00 Price by Nissan/Sumitomo.

It would seem that DC-QC's or DC Quick Chargers - are in fact coming to three or four standards now: Very High Power - as in the case of the Tesla Superchargers - which by nature of their power level and plug standard - are proprietary, and hence may be 'Public-Like' Chargers - are in Fact Less than public - for all but Tesla Product Owners, and hence should be called - "Limited Access Public Stations", or "Limited Access High Power Public Stations", or even more direct - "Tesla Supercharger Station". Similar Thinking suggests that CHAdeMO Chargers - would be best suited with a more direct Name - either using the same nomenclature - "Limited Access High Power Public Stations" - or a more particular definitive - "50 kW CHAdeMO DC Stations", or for the newer lower power units - "25 kW CHAdeMO DC Stations", or Simply "High Power CHAdeMO", and "Low Power CHAdeMO".

There are now also high power Level 2 Chargers - in the order of 60 - 90 Amps Maximum Capacity, and they present an interesting thought in naming challenges: Should they just blend in with all Level 2 Chargers - or should they be identified better? If I am driving a vehicle that can take advantage of such a power level (Tesla Roadster, or Model S, at the moment) - would I like to know easier (By Identifiable Icon) that - this is what the charger is?

Next - if a Charger is Broken - having a bright RED Icon displayed when it is non-operational - would allow easy identifying of dead or failed stations. If a Filter in comments could be devised - to identify Broken Stations - and change the icon to RED, until such time as a Positive Checkin occured, at which time it would switch back to normal, would allow better - easier trip planning on the charge network.

A Final piece of visibility - I think would be an interesting filter - would be an Icon that is not Grey - when in use - but rather - changes from it's base-line color, to Grey, - alternating - in a Flash Mode. This would give the Effect of an instant glance on where the Checked in activity is happening in a general view of an area, and allow selecting - either a working charger - knowing that it is use, or a different one that is not in use at that time.

Not all the pieces of this puzzle may be able to be implemented, and some may not even be workable, but just spending 15 minutes in front of an Air Traffic Controllers Scopes - would give you some of the idea of what I envision and future enhancements, and current possibilities!